第 177 节
作者:空白协议书      更新:2021-02-21 16:30      字数:9322
  The farthest from thy goal; art thou still drawing
  Nearer and nearer to it; till at length
  Thou findest; like the river; what thou seekest?
  'Exit。
  ACT V。
  SCENE I。  Daybreak。  Street in front of UPSALL's house。 A light
  in the window。  Enter JOHN ENDICOTT。
  JOHN ENDICOTT。
  O silent; sombre; and deserted streets;
  To me ye 're peopled with a sad procession;
  And echo only to the voice of sorrow!
  O houses full of peacefulness and sleep;
  Far better were it to awake no more
  Than wake to look upon such scenes again!
  There is a light in Master Upsall's window。
  The good man is already risen; for sleep
  Deserts the couches of the old。
  Knocks at UPSALL's door。
  UPSALL (at the window)。
  Who's there?
  JOHN ENDICOTT。
  Am I so changed you do not know my voice?
  UPSALL。
  I know you。  Have you heard what things have happened?
  JOHN ENDICOTT。
  I have heard nothing。
  UPSALL。
  Stay; I will come down。
  JOHN ENDICOTT。
  I am afraid some dreadful news awaits me!
  I do not dare to ask; yet am impatient
  To know the worst。  Oh; I am very weary
  With waiting and with watching and pursuing!
  Enter UPSALL。
  UPSALL。
  Thank God; you have come back!  I've much to tell you。
  Where have you been?
  JOHN ENDICOTT。
  You know that I was seized;
  Fined; and released again。  You know that Edith;
  After her scourging in three towns; was banished
  Into the wilderness; into the land
  That is not sown; and there I followed her;
  But found her not。  Where is she?
  UPSALL。
  She is here。
  JOHN ENDICOTT。
  Oh; do not speak that word; for it means death!
  UPSALL。
  No; it means life。  She sleeps in yonder chamber。
  Listen to me。  When news of Leddra's death
  Reached England; Edward Burroughs; having boldly
  Got access to the presence of the King;
  Told him there was a vein of innocent blood
  Opened in his dominions here; which threatened
  To overrun them all。  The King replied。
  〃But I will stop that vein!〃 and he forthwith
  Sent his Mandamus to our Magistrates;
  That they proceed no further in this business。
  So all are pardoned; and all set at large。
  JOHN ENDICOTT。
  Thank God!  This is a victory for truth!
  Our thoughts are free。  They cannot be shut up
  In prison wall; nor put to death on scaffolds!
  UPSALL。
  Come in; the morning air blows sharp and cold
  Through the damp streets。
  JOHN ENDICOTT。
  It is the dawn of day
  That chases the old darkness from our sky;
  And tills the land with liberty and light。
  'Exeunt。
  SCENE II。  The parlor of the Three Mariners。  Enter KEMPTHORN。
  KEMPTHORN。
  A dull life this;a dull life anyway!
  Ready for sea; the cargo all aboard;
  Cleared for Barbadoes; and a fair wind blowing
  From nor'…nor'…west; and I; an idle lubber;
  Laid neck and heels by that confounded bond!
  I said to Ralph; says I; 〃What's to be done?〃
  Says he: 〃Just slip your hawser in the night;
  Sheer off; and pay it with the topsail; Simon。〃
  But that won't do; because; you see; the owners
  Somehow or other are mixed up with it。
  Here are King Charles's Twelve Good Rules; that Cole
  Thinks as important as the Rule of Three。
  Reads。
  〃Make no comparisons; make no long meals。〃
  Those are good rules and golden for a landlord
  To hang in his best parlor; framed and glazed!
  〃Maintain no ill opinions; urge no healths。〃
  I drink to the King's; whatever he may say
  And; as to ill opinions; that depends。
  Now of Ralph Goldsmith I've a good opinion;
  And of the bilboes I've an ill opinion;
  And both of these opinions I'll maintain
  As long as there's a shot left in the locker。
  Enter EDWARD BUTTER; with an ear…trumpet。
  BUTTER。
  Good morning; Captain Kempthorn。
  KEMPTHORN。
  Sir; to you。
  You've the advantage of me。  I don't know you。
  What may I call your name?
  BUTTER。
  That's not your name?
  KEMPTHORN。
  Yes; that's my name。  What's yours?
  BUTTER。
  My name is Butter。
  I am the treasurer of the Commonwealth。
  KEMPTHORN。
  Will you be seated?
  BUTTER。
  What say?  Who's conceited?
  KEMPTHORN。
  Will you sit down?
  BUTTER。
  Oh; thank you。
  KEMPTHORN。
  Spread yourself
  Upon this chair; sweet Butter。
  BUTTER (sitting down)。
  A fine morning。
  KEMPTHORN。
  Nothing's the matter with it that I know of。
  I have seen better; and I have seen worse。
  The wind's nor'west。  That's fair for them that sail。
  BUTTER。
  You need not speak so loud; I understand you。
  You sail to…day。
  KEMPTHORN。
  No; I don't sail to…day。
  So; be it fair or foul; it matters not。
  Say; will you smoke?  There's choice tobacco here。
  BUTTER。
  No; thank you。 It's against the law to smoke。
  KEMPTHORN。
  Then; will you drink?  There's good ale at this inn。
  BUTTER。
  No; thank you。  It's against the law to drink。
  KEMPTHORN。
  Well; almost everything's against the law
  In this good town。  Give a wide berth to one thing;
  You're sure to fetch up soon on something else。
  BUTTER。
  And so you sail to…day for dear Old England。
  I am not one of those who think a sup
  Of this New England air is better worth
  Than a whole draught of our Old England's ale。
  KEMPTHORN。
  Nor I。  Give me the ale and keep the air。
  But; as I said; I do not sail to…day。
  BUTTER。
  Ah yes; you sail today。
  KEMPTHORN。
  I'm under bonds
  To take some Quakers back to the Barbadoes;
  And one of them is banished; and another
  Is sentenced to be hanged。
  BUTTER。
  No; all are pardoned;
  All are set free by order of the Court;
  But some of them would fain return to England。
  You must not take them。  Upon that condition
  Your bond is cancelled。
  KEMPTHORN。
  Ah; the wind has shifted!
  I pray you; do you speak officially?
  BUTTER。
  I always speak officially。  To prove it;
  Here is the bond。
  Rising and giving a paper。
  KEMPTHORN。
  And here's my hand upon it;
  And look you; when I say I'll do a thing
  The thing is done。  Am I now free to go?
  BUTTER。
  What say?
  KEMPTHORN。
  I say; confound the tedious man
  With his strange speaking…trumpet!  Can I go?
  BUTTER。
  You're free to go; by order of the Court。
  Your servant; sir。
  'Exit。
  KEMPTHORN (shouting from the window)。
  Swallow; ahoy!  Hallo!
  If ever a man was happy to leave Boston;
  That man is Simon Kempthorn of the Swallow!
  Re…enter BUTTER。
  BUTTER。
  Pray; did you call?
  KEMPTHORN。
  Call!  Yes; I hailed the Swallow。
  BUTTER。
  That's not my name。  My name is Edward Butter。
  You need not speak so loud。
  KEMPTHORN (shaking hands)。
  Good…by!  Good…by!
  BUTTER。
  Your servant; sir。
  KEMPTHORN。
  And yours a thousand times!
  'Exeunt。
  SCENE III。  GOVERNOR ENDICOTT'S private room。  An open window。
  ENDICOTT seated in an arm…chair。  BELLINGHAM standing near。
  ENDICOTT。
  O lost; O loved! wilt thou return no more?
  O loved and lost; and loved the more when lost!
  How many men are dragged into their graves
  By their rebellious children!  I now feel
  The agony of a father's breaking heart
  In David's cry; 〃O Absalom; my son!〃
  BELLINGHAM。
  Can you not turn your thoughts a little while
  To public matters?  There are papers here
  That need attention。
  ENDICOTT。
  Trouble me no more!
  My business now is with another world;
  Ah; Richard Bellingham!  I greatly fear
  That in my righteous zeal I have been led
  To doing many things which; left undone;
  My mind would now be easier。  Did I dream it;
  Or has some person told me; that John Norton
  Is dead?
  BELLINGHAM。
  You have not dreamed it。  He is dead;
  And gone to his reward。  It was no dream。
  ENDICOTT。
  Then it was very sudden; for I saw him
  Standing where you now stand; not long ago。
  BELLINGHAM。
  By his own fireside; in the afternoon;
  A faintness and a giddiness came o'er him;
  And; leaning on the chimney…piece; he cried;
  〃The hand of God is on me!〃 and fell dead。
  ENDICOTT。
  And did not some one say; or have I dreamed it;
  That Humphrey Atherton is dead?
  BELLINGHAM。
  Alas!
  He too is gone; and by a death as sudden。
  Returning home one evening; at the place
  Where usually the Quakers have been scourged;
  His horse took fright; and threw him to the ground;
  So that his brains were dashed about the street。
  ENDICOTT。
  I am not superstitions; Bellingham;
  And yet I tremble lest it may ha